Beyond Patents: How Hospitals Challenge Big Pharma on Drug Development Costs

This research exposes a thriving but overlooked parallel system where hospitals and universities develop new drug treatments at a fraction of big pharma's cost, challenging the notion that expensive R&D is essential for innovation. By repurposing generic drugs, these institutions are not only accelerating treatment availability but also signaling a potential model for democratizing healthcare access globally. As governments begin recognizing and formalizing this approach, it could fundamentally reshape how the industry prioritizes patient outcomes over patent protection.